Trouser supporter



Nov. 28, 1939. M. LI'EBMANN TROUSER SUPPORTER Filed Aug. 9, 1938 1 INVENTOR moses [ieZmW RNEY Patented Nov. 28, 1939 PATEN T OFFICE TROUSER surronrnn Moses Liebmann, New York, N.-YY:. Application August 9, 1938, Serial No. 223,794

2 Claims.

This invention relates to an improvement in trouser supporters and has for its object the provision of such an article intended for co-operation with a shirt or similar outer garment to enable the trousers to be effectively supported by concealed trouser-supporting means. As is well known, the construction of suspenders and the location of buttons on the trousers adapted to be engaged thereby are such that the suspenders must be worn externally of the shirt. This is inconvenient, particularly in warm weather, when it is often desirable to discard the coat, this being often unconventional because of the exposure of the suspenders. So-called invisible suspenders have been made for wear beneath the shirt, but such articles are uncomfortableto wear in warm weather and have other inconveniences so that they have never become particularly popular. j

With the improved trouser supporters forming the subject matter of this invention, the trousers are supported by elastic or expansible elements adjustably and detachably secured to the shirt so that the shirt and such co-operating supporting elements effectively support the trousers. The arrangement of the elastic supporting elements with respect to the shirt and to the trou sers is such that the shirt and trousers co-operate to cover and conceal the elastic supports so that the trousers are supported by indiscernible elements, and over-the-shoulder supporting means for the trousers is completely eliminated.

' In the accompanying drawing, wherein an embodiment of the invention is shown, Fig. 1' is a perspectiveview of one embodiment of the invention, showing how the same appears ready for attachment to the trouser buttons; Fig. 2 is an enlarged front elevation of a portion of the shirt, looking at the outer face of the same, showing one of the supporters; Fig. 3 is a view of the rear face of the structure shown in Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a view of a portion of the rear face of the shirt, showing the fastening elements employed for detachably securing one of the trouser supporters; Fig. 5 is a face View of one of the trouser supporters detachedfrom the shirt; Fig. 6 is a front view of a modified structure; Fig. 7 is a sectional View on the line 1-1 of Fig. 6, looking in the direction of the arrows; Fig. 8 is a front view of another modified structure; and Fig. 9 is a sectional View on the line 99 of Fig. 8, look- 5 or similar outer garment, having the. conventional tail portions adaptedtojbe tucked into the trousers -2 in the usual manner. The upper end or waist line of the trousers is shown at 3 and secured on the inside of the trousers, located slight- 1y below the Waist-line or top 3 is shown the conventional suspender buttons 4. Two sets of buttons are located at the front of the garment and a set of two buttons at theback as is well understood. r

Each supporter includes as a base, a piece of strong, flexible material 5 shown in'rectangular form, and adapted to be scarcely, but preferably detachably; attached to the rear face of the shirt.

For example, each of the sections 5 may be 'provided with detachable fastening elements 6, such as snap fastener elements which are adapted to engage co-operating snap fastener elements I properly located on the rear face of the shirt with respectto the suspender buttons 4 of the trousers. Carried by the section 5 is a supported element 8, which may consist of a looped elastic cord or the like, doubled to form button-engaging loops ID at its opposite ends and provided with the-spaced sleeves 9 between which a loop portion I I is provided for connection to the buttons 4 in case it is desired to lift the trousers higher than is-done when buttonsare engaging the lower loops 9. p

I The fabric sections 5 are each provided with reinforced slits or openings 12, similar to button holes, through which the looped cord 8 extends, these slits being preferably angularly disposed to permit sliding action of the cord through them during use. The loop portions IIJ of the cord emerge from the inside of the shirt through slits or button-hole openings I3' properly located in the body of the shirt. Thus, when the garment is worn, the sections 5 and all ofthe cord members carried thereby are covered and concealed by the body of the shirt with the exception of the projecting loops ID, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. The openings l3 in the body of the shirt are preferably so located that they are positioned slightly below the top edge 3 of the trousers and accordingly both the openings l3 and the loop portions 9 extending out of thelsame and 'engaging the trouser buttons 4* are "covered and concealed by the upper portion of the trousers.

The arrangement of the elastic cord or similar extensible member 9 through the slits l2 in the supporting section 5 is such that it may move longitudinally through these openings and adjust itself according to the movements of the Wearers body. The material of which section 5 is made is preferably a strong non-crushable textile fabric so that it will maintain itself in fiat condition at all times despite the pull imposed on it by the elastic cord 8 in supporting the trousers. The material selected and employed for the section 5 is preferably one which will not pucker and will remain fiat during wear and thus, will not tend to pucker or gather the body of the shirt, and will be sufficient to resist the imposition of destructional pull on the body of the shirt due to the fact that the pull of the elastic cord Will be distributed over the relatively wide area of the member 5.

It will be understood that one of these members 5 and the elastic cord carried thereby, will be secured within the shirt adjacent each pair of suspender buttons. It will also be understood that the members 5 may be either permanently secured within the shirt by being stitched thereto or they may be detachably secured in position by snap fasteners as illustrated, or by some other fastening elements. It will also be clear that if such detachable fastening elements are employed, a number of them may be located in spaced relationship within the body of the shirt so that the members 5 may be selectively positioned at higher or lower points to accommodate the build of the wearer. While it is preferable that the openings I3 in the body of the shirt be located slightly below the top of the trousers of the wearer and be thereby'covered by the trousers, it may occur in the case of tall persons, that these openings be located slightly above the trouser top. If such is the case, this will not be of any great moment since the only portion of the supporters visible would be a very slight part of the loop portions iii, which, if colored similarly to the body of the shift, would be substantially invisible.

In the modification of the invention shown in Fig. 5, I use a single piece of elastic fabric Hl' extensible in the direction indicated by the arrows and secured at the back of the shirt by means of buttons i5 provided on the shirt engaging with the button holes [6 formed in the upper portion of the back material l4. There may be other spaced groups of button holes l6 to permit the member M to be attached to the back of the shirt at selected higher or lower positions, according to the height of the individual.

The lower portion of the elastic member [4 protrudes out of a slit or opening I! formed in the body of the shirt, said slit being located, as was explained with respect to the openings l3, below the top of the trousers so that it is concealed by the body of the trousers. The lower, wider por tion l8, of member It, is exposed at the front of the shirt and it is formed with spaced button holes IQ for engaging with trouser buttons I4 as will be clearly understood.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 8 and 9, spaced elastic strips 20 are employed, each of these strips extending through a button-hole like opening to provide a tab portion 22 exposed on the outside of the shirt, said tab portion being formed with a button hole 23 to engage with the trouser buttons 4 as will be understood. Each of the strips 20 is formed with a plurality of spaced button holes 24 for engaging with one or more buttons 25 secured on the inside of the shirt. Each strip 20 may be raised and lowered by engagement by any one of the button holes 24 with button 25, according to the height of the individual.

From the various structures disclosed, it will beclear that a support for trousers is provided in which over-the-shoulder supporters or suspenders are completely eliminated, and in which the body of the shirt acts as a supporting element. On the other hand, any great strain is removed from the body of the shirt and is borne by the elastic supporting members attached to the shirt. The various elements suggested for engaging with the buttons of the trousers are so located that they are either completely covered and concealed by the trousers or in unusual instances, almost wholly concealed so that any exposed portions of them will be unnoticeable. The supporters are extremely comfortable to wear and may be removed instantly for washing of the garment, and are particularly comfortable in warm weather when the normal type of overthe-shoulder supporter or suspender is found uncomfortable in use.

While I have suggested several embodiments of the invention, it will be obvious that it may be modified in many ways without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What I claim is:

1. A trouser supporter comprising, a shirt or similar outer garment, a flat fabric section having means for detachably securingit to the rear face of the shirt above the waist line of the trousers to be supported, said fabric section being provided with a plurality of angularly disposed slits, an elastic loop member extending throughand laterally slidable through the slits, said loop member having a central portion extending through a spaced pair of said slits in the section, said central portion of the loop member being disposed between one face of the fabric section and the rear face of the shirt, said loop member having spaced looped ends extending through two of the spaced angular slits'in the fabric section, said looped ends projecting from between opposed faces of the shirt and fabric section, the shirt having spaced apertures, and portions of the looped ends extending through said apertures for engagement with suspender buttons on the trousers to be supported.

2. A trouser supporter comprising, a shirt or similar outer garment, a fiat fabric section having fastener elements disposed on one of its faces, co-operating fastener elements disposed on the inside of the shirt above the waist line of the trousers to be supported, said fabric section being provided with a plurality of slits, an elastic loop member sinuously extended through said slits, said loop member having looped ends projecting from between opposed faces of the shirt and fabric section, the shirt having at least one operture through which the looped ends of the loop member extend for engagement with suspender buttons on the trousers to be supported.

MOSES LIEBMANN. 

